Yup, I agree that it gets infinitely easier after making it through a few days to break the habit...and even easier after that. Use constant barriers if you need to and don't feel bad about it! Whatever it takes to get through those first few difficult days. You can do it!

Thanks Manda! I'm going out to buy some today :)

I also just went for a brisk walk and I feel amazing. I haven't exercised in quite a while (2 months?). Silly me! I forgot just how much it helps. I'm prepping myself to start using that ap tomorrow. I want to see greeeeeeeeen!

Have been pull free for an hour. No barriers yet, I need to do some work before I go out and get them.

You go, keep at it, and as we all say, keep looking at the success of each moment, and know you have it!

Best wishes!

Thanks Mid :) Yep yep!

Well I've started using barriers :) And exercising again. Ohh yeah, proactive is my middle name. I'm using good old bandaids as I didn't know what kind of medical tape to buy! Manda, help? I don't think they had what I was after at my supermarket.

I pulled one hair today, then put my barriers on. Feeling positive.

I just use the roll of small white medical tape...it is about the same width as a bandaid. It is significantly cheaper than bandaids and lasts a lot longer. It is pretty much sold everywhere; I would think a grocery store would have it. If not, then definitely a pharmacy.

HM, that's what I was looking for but didn't find any. And I don't live in a hick town or anything! My bandaids are pretty cheap, $2 for 50. I'll look in a chemist though.

Keep in mind I am going by the prices of things in Taiwan so it may be quite different! The tape works out to be about 1 US dollar for a roll that lasts at least a few weeks if used regularly. Bandaids here are about 3 US dollars for a box of about 30. So I have found the tape to be quite a bit cheaper.

Yeah everything is quite different I guess!

Well kids, guess what? I only pulled that 1 hair yesterday. It's weeeeird, with the bandaids on I didn't get any urges.. My hand didn't even go up to my head at all I think. Though that's not always the case. Quite often when I wear them my hand will go up, but as soon as I realise the barrier is there I put my hand down. The touching is such a huuuuuuge part of the urge.

This next bit might be a bit trigger-y!












What I did notice though, was that I replaced pulling with my good old stand by, running a small section of hair through my mouth then between my fingers. The key is feeling the wet hair in my mouth and fingers. Ugh, seems so gross doesn't it! I think more research and experimentation is needed to find some more suitable replacements. Something to replace the texture I guess would be ideal. The wet texture of the root of the hair.

Argh. What I honestly wish is that it was socially acceptable to have bald patches, no hair, whatever. I guess it could happen, and I guess I could help that happen. But I'm just not that kind of person.. Ah who knows, maybe I get myself there. I feel so bad for all those young people with trich who have no idea what it is, how to stop. Oh dear, I'm on a bit of a rant here. I'll be off!

Ooh sneaky! One of my bandaids came off and I was going to leave it off as I was going to do the washing up. In that short time frame that particular barrier-less hand crept up to my head and pulled out 2 very loose hairs. Tsk tsk!!

I'm glad the barriers are helping! What other replacements have you tried? When I am just anxious, doing almost anything else with my hands other than pulling helps prevent urges, but once the urges are there, trying to distract myself isn't very successful.

Confident, have you tried a snugglie blankie or small piece of material with the sensation similar to the description of the feeling you mentioned? The reason I ask is because when I gave myself a tiny snugglie, it worked to reduce the sensation's effect, and then the habit was changed to a more healthier one with the fingers aiming for the waist line, rather than the scalp.

Barriers work. Good work!

Best wishes, and hang in there, you are strong!

Manda - replacements I've tried are; deep breathing (calming, soothing effect), exercise (de-stress, endorphins, self soothing effect), weeding (similar satisfaction pulling the roots out of the ground and seeing a big pile grow). Other replacements I've heard are good include stroking paint brushes, playing with a tangle, and playing with spinner rings (the last two are designed for trich I'm pretty sure). Oh another replacement I use is combing my scalp with a fine tooth comb when I get an "itchy urge".

I personally think that a combination of barriers, replacements and distractions is very helpful. (Distractions: changing rooms/locations, having a shower, going for a walk).

Mid - Hm no I haven't tried something like that. Not quite the texture I'm after but it's a good idea if I had something that was kind of like soft hair. I think the hair brush thing could possibly work.

Hmm I wasn't consistent with the barriers over the weekend. I wore them for half of Sunday and of course that helped. Aiming for 100% pf today.

Was just reading an article about trich by Dr Fred Penzel, it was written in 1992 so a bit old, but it kind of stated what I was just talking about. Here's a paragraph from near the end. "This means both finding other equally satisfying and less destructive sources of stimulation when understimulated, as well as effective ways of reducing overstimulation through lifestyle, enmvironmental, and psychological changes. In addition, we cannot also ignore the part habit plays in TTM. This means also finding ways to anticipate, block, and replace behaviors that have become strongly learned by sufferers. Further, because TTM appears to have biological components, we need to make more effective use of current psychiatric medications and other compounds, and consider new developments and what they may be able to contribute." Here's the link to the article - http://www.trich.org/treatment/article-stimulus-penzel.html

Ok and here is a new model I've written up for myself. I find it very helpful to look at, knowing that pretty much all the things I need to look at are there and in an organised fashion! And I've written in in 'Evernote' (omfg, list makers look up this program!) so I can edit the triggers, replacements etc whenever they change.

So the model is:


Anticipate // Block // Reduce (overstimulation) // Replace
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

OVERSTIMULATED

Anticipate - stressed at work, stressed to due personal relationships, excited, angry, sad, thinking, sick

Reduce - Find effective ways of reducing overstimulation through
Lifestyle: Exercise often, healthy diet, getting enough sleep
Environmental: Getting outdoors, getting sunshine
Psychological: Seeing psychologist, writing in a journal, speaking with friends, interacting with support group

Block - Bandaids, hat, scarf, gloves, wet hair, oil in hair

Replace - Find other equally satisfying and less destructive sources of stimulation when under stimulated
- Knitting, Beading, spinner ring, tangle, hairbrushes



UNDER-STIMULATED

Anticipate - watching tv, reading, waiting, driving, in bed

Replace - Find other equally satisfying and less destructive sources of stimulation when under stimulated
- Knitting, Beading, spinner ring, tangle, hairbrushes

Block - Bandaids, hat, scarf, gloves, wet hair, oil in hair

Mmkay I know I've written a whole bunch of crap today and I'm so sorry you have to wade through it all! I don't blame anyone who skips on past it all. But anyway, I"ve adjusted my little "model" a bit, and it's more pleasing to me now.


Anticipate // Motivate // Reduce (overstimulation) // Replace // Block

Anticipate
1.When I need to be motivated (during times of great stress, periods of change, after pulling/long periods of pulling)
2.When I'm likely to pull (and therefore need replacements or barriers):
Overstimulated (stressed at work, stressed to due personal relationships, excited, angry, sad, thinking, sick)
Under-stimulated (watching tv, reading, waiting, driving, in bed)

Motivate
Regularly use support group
Maintain a self of wellbeing (Exercise, eat well, socialise)
Sticker charts
Rewards

Reduce (overstimulation)
Find effective ways of reducing overstimulation through:
Lifestyle: Exercise often, healthy diet, getting enough sleep
Environmental: Getting outdoors, getting sunshine, avoiding stressful situations/managing them better
Psychological: Seeing psychologist, writing in a journal, speaking with friends, interacting with support group

Replace
Find other equally satisfying and less destructive sources of stimulation when under-stimulated
- Knitting, Beading, spinner ring, tangle, play with paint brushes

Block
To use whenever expecting to experience triggers (overstimulated or under-stimulated):
Bandaids, hat, scarf, gloves, wet hair, oil in hair